Police flex muscle against mourners
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, February 09 2013 :
A prayer service organized for FCI truck driver Ningombam Gobardhon, who was found murdered inside his truck at Kohima in Nagaland along National Highway 2(Imphal-Dimapur Road) on February 7 morning, went berserk after a large number of police fired several rounds of tear gas canisters at the gathering mourners who were blocking the traffic at Mantripukhri here today.
The prayer service was organized by All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers Union (AMRTDMWU) after the body was brought last night from Kohima where the post-mortem too had been conducted at Kohima Christian Hospital.
The body was kept at the office of AMRTDMWU for the night and the prayer service held today.
Attended by a large number of mourners including family members and other truck drivers, the prayer service was in progress when heavily armed police personnel led by Imphal East District Police SDPO, Manjit descended.
At first, they went rampaged through the office complex of the AMRTDMWU where the prayer service was held and later opened fire several rounds of tear gas canisters to disperse the mourners from blocking National Highway stretch at Mantripukhri in front of AMRTDMWU's office.
The police said that the mourners were blocking the highway section at Mantripukhri and, thus, they were forced to hold back them by resorting to firing tear gas shells.
Later, one side of the NH-2 was opened for traffic.
Th Chaoba, President, BJP, Manipur State Unit along with party member Khemchand also came to offer floral tributes to the departed soul of the slain truck driver.
It may be noted here that All Manipur Road Transport Driver and Motor Worker Union and the TDC have earlier appealed to the public to stop plying all commercial vehicles along NH-2 from 6am to 6pm today.
Protesting against the unruly act of the police, members of AMRTDMWU along with the bereaved family members and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) seeking justice in the killing went to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister O Ibobi later in the afternoon.
The memorandum demands that action be taken against the SDPO and dismissed him from service.
It also warned of launching intense agitation of the demand is not considered.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister, while prevailing upon the family members to claim the body, assured that he would look into the matter and the Government would also be taking a decision in the next two-three days regarding the earlier demand of the JAC for providing ex-gratia and a suitable Government job to the next of the kin of the deceased.
The police personnel who fired the tear gas shells during the prayer service were also reportedly paraded before the JAC and the family members and made to apologise for their unruly conduct.
Accordingly, the JAC and the family members claimed the body and performed the last rites of the deceased at his native Wangjing Hodamba village in Thoubal district.
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